The Wolfpacker: An Independent Magazine Covering NC State Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1407083
BY MATT CARTER hat if a Wolfpack Club donor could have an opportunity to get to know NC State redshirt sopho- more quarterback Devin Leary on a level that extends far beyond admiring his arm strength and ac- curacy throwing the football? Or beyond watching in amazement the speed with which sophomore running back Zonovan "Bam" Knight breaks off a big run? One of the primary goals of the Wolfpack Club is to increase the level of engagement between its donors and the student-athletes. Ben Broussard, the executive director of the Wolfpack Club, describes it as "human - izing" the student-athletes for the donors, which in turn may present windows of opportunities for the students in their postgraduate lives. The latest such example of outreach occurred over the summer, when for the first time nearly every member of the football team was placed into one of 13 groups to meet with selected donors in the Raleigh area for dinner. Geographic limitations restricted the groups to within around 10 miles of campus or closer. Working with football head coach Dave Doeren and assistant athletics director/football chief of staff Adam Clark, the Wolfpack Club divided up available members from the team, which was nearly the entire squad save a select few who had other obligations. Around 4:30 p.m., groups of six to eight football players were loaded into vans with a Wolfpack Club staff member and sent to their destination. A couple of hours later, after a hearty meal either catered or prepared by the donor, the players returned home with an experience to remember. "They were quiet on the way there, and as the evening went on they were a little more talkative, and they were Chatty Cathys on the way home," Wolf - pack Club associate executive director Buzzy Correll noted. "To me, that was an observation that they had a good time." "Once they got there and they real- ized it's a relaxing environment, they were given great food, they wanted to learn about the do- nors," Broussard added. "I had three or four student-athletes in my vehicle on the way back say, 'Hey, how do I stay in touch with these guys if I want to know about his business?' "The feedback I had from the student-athletes was they were all fed well and had a good time. Next W MEETING MEETING THE PACK THE PACK A New Wolfpack Club Endeavor Brings Donors And The Football Team Together 22 ■ THE WOLFPACKER PHOTOS COURTESY WOLFPACK CLUB